TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Team Taiwan will face Japan in the Premier12 championship round on Sunday (Nov. 24).

This is the first time Taiwan will compete for a championship in 32 years in the top three international competitions—the Olympics, World Baseball Cup, and Premier 12. To give Team Taiwan the best chance for victory, there was a last-minute pitching change with ace left-hander from the US minor leagues, Lin Yu-min (林昱珉), taking the mound, per UDN.

Lin, 21, is affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks' Triple-A team. As a pitching prospect, Lin has wowed scouts with strong command and ball placement, relying upon a changeup as his go-to pitch along with a strong curve and slider combo that can keep batters off balance.

Lin was scheduled to start a preliminary Super Round match between the two teams on Wednesday (Nov. 23). He was a last-minute scratch after Team Taiwan learned it had qualified for the championship round due to the US defeating Venezuela 6:5. 

Team Taiwan qualified based on Team Quality Balance (runs scored/inning played at bat, minus runs allowed/innings played on defense) as three teams finished with an identical 1-2 record.

Japan protested the last-minute pitching scratch, though WBSC officials arbitrated the final ruling to allow Taiwan’s aces to take the mound. They still face a formidable opponent in Togo Shosei, the top ace of the Yomiuri Giants.

Team Taiwan manager Tseng Hao-Ju (曾豪駒) said the key to the championship game will be in the details, such as defensive moves and an aggressive offense. Tseng said he looked forward to playing Japan again to compete for the championship.

"I will do my best to bring the championship back to Taiwan. During the game, it’s about enjoying the moment. We have to believe in each other and try our best to compete," said Team Taiwan catcher Chu Li-jen (朱立人).

Taiwan faces an uphill battle against Japan, though the previous two losses have shown some promise. In the first loss of 1-3, Taiwan limited the powerful Samurai offense to just three runs, a significant reduction from Japan's offensive output in the tournament. In the most recent matchup, Team Taiwan put up six runs, tying the highest offensive output Japan has encountered in this year’s Premier12 tournament.

Still, the biggest battle Team Taiwan faces is Japan’s 27 consecutive victory streak in international competition. "We always look forward to competing against Japan’s Samurai. I hope we can play an exciting game, and I hope our players can focus on this challenge,” said Tseng.

Tseng said Team Taiwan has faced an uphill battle throughout the Premier12 tournament. It began with the announcement of the 28-man roster, questioned by some baseball analysts.

Tseng credited the team’s incredible journey to the hard work of the players, coaches, and Taiwanese fans. “I hope we can create our own story and make history," he said.